Emergency Response

Cracking and Ruptures of SCBA Aluminum Cylinders Made from 6351 Alloy

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) published notice RSPA-99-5143 (notice 99-11) stating that its files contain reports of 12 explosive failures of aluminum cylinders made of 6351 alloy. Eleven of the failures occurred when the cylinders were being filled. Six of the failures were SCBA cylinders used in life-support systems for firefighters, and three were…...

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Safety Advisory; High Pressure Aluminum Seamless and Aluminum Composite Hoop-Wrapped Cylinders

SUMMARY: Recently, a DOT-3AL cylinder made of aluminum alloy 6351-T6 ruptured while being filled. The purpose of this notice is to alert owners, users, and other persons responsible for the maintenance of certain cylinders made of aluminum alloy 6351-T6 of potential safety problems and to advise them to follow the precautionary measures outlined in this…...

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USFA Special Report: Prevention of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Failures

There have been several well-documented incidents during the past 10 years where SCBA failure may have been a contributing factor in the deaths or injuries of firefighters¹. These incidents, coupled with a recognition of the importance of self-contained breathing apparatus to firefighter safety, prompted the United States Fire Administration to undertake this study to address…...

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2012 DOT ERG by the numbers

The answers to the top questions I get about the DOT ERG Booklets: 1) there are 3,233 Hazardous Materials listed 2) there are 465 TIH/PIH Hazardous Materials listed 3) there are 127 Water Reactive Hazardous Materials listed 4) there are still 172 Guides listed in 2012…. Membership Required You must be a member to access...

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SCBA Cylinder Catastrophic Failure from Stress Corrosion Cracking

A fully wrapped composite SCBA cylinder catastrophically failed  while stored inside a fire truck parked inside a fire house.  Although no one was hurt, the incident caused significant damage to the fire truck and minor damage to the fire truck parked next to it.  Extensive analysis of the failed cylinder showed that it was caused…...

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Hydro-Testing of SCBA Cylinders

UPDATED 10/22/2019 with new images and new explanations. UPDATE:  Please see my June 2017 posting PHMSA’s New Cylinder “Special Permit” authorizes an extension of the 15-year service life of certain carbon fiber reinforced aluminum-lined cylinders (DOT-CFFC)   In general, composite-reinforced cylinders used with self- contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) all have a 15-year maximum life span. SCBA…...

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The new “Table 3” in the 2012 DOT ERG

On May 17th of this year I posted the article “Emergency Response Guidebook 2012 Summary of Changes (April 2012)” pointing out some of the changes and upgrades to the 2012 edition of the DOT ERG.  If your business handles Ammonia (UN1005), Chlorine (UN1017), Ethylene oxide (UN1040), Hydrogen chloride (UN1050) and Hydrogen chloride, refrigerated liquid (UN2186), Hydrogen…...

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Chemical facility faces ammonia leak penalty

A Muskegon-area chemical company is facing a federal penalty for failing to report an ammonia release on Labor Day to the proper authorities in a timely manner.  The 1400-pound leak was well over the federal limit that requires an immediate report. By law, any release into the air of the hazardous gas over 100 pounds…...

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CHLOREP Informational Bulletin: 2012 DOT/TC Emergency Response Guidebook

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) and Transport Canada (TC) publish the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG), which provides valuable information to first responders during the initial phase of a dangerous goods/hazardous materials transportation incident. A new edition of this guidebook is published every four years, the most recent edition being published in 2012. There are some changes to the…...

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UL warns of counterfeit UL Mark on single-jacketed fire hose

  http://www.ul.com/global/eng/pages/corporate/newsroom/newsitem.jsp?cpath=%2Fglobal%2Feng%2Fcontent%2Fcorporate%2Fnewsroom%2Fpublicnotices%2Fdata%2Ful-warns-of-counterfeit-ul-mark-on-single-jacketed_20120831080000.xml… Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...

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A “vent and burn” operation on I-10 in LA

TURN UP YOUR VOLUME for this one – the sounds are as telling as the sights! For those who may not be familar with a “vent and burn” scenario, here are the guidelines from the Frederal Railroad Administration. This product-removal method involves the placement of explosive charges to cut a hole (or holes) in a…...

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Emergency Response Equipment Maintenance

Let’s start with a quick quiz to test our knowledge of the manufacturer’s expectations of their equipment. 1) What are the three (3) different types of inspections that an Emergency SCBA must under go? Bonus Question related to #1:  Name the inspection/testing frequency for an SCBA cylinder that is composite fiber wrapped? 2) What test…...

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